


Louise Summons the King of Heroes

by RainEStar3



Series: Louise Summons [8]
Category: Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms, ゼロの使い魔 | Zero no Tsukaima | The Familiar of Zero
Genre: Comedy, Crack, Crack Crossover, Crack Treated Seriously, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Crossover, Dark Comedy, Drama, Egomaniac, Family Drama, Fantasy, Gen, Humor, Not-so-secretly Overpowered
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:08:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25717819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainEStar3/pseuds/RainEStar3
Series: Louise Summons [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1690741
Comments: 11
Kudos: 27





	1. The King is Summoned

"Looks like Louise failed another spell."

"Her family must be so embarrassed of her."

"Can you believe that she hasn't been expelled yet?"

"With any luck, tomorrow will be her last day."

"Good riddance. She's no better than a commoner."

Louise kept her head high as she did her best to ignore the whispers of her peers. Dark grey soot covered her form from head to toe, but she did not falter. She maintained the perfect image of a young noble lady all the way up to her room.

There, in the privacy of her personal area, did she finally allow her body to slump. Her mind wandered back to the event that had happened prior. Not only had she blown up a classroom while attempting a basic transmutation spell, but she had been forced to walk from the Earth Tower to her dorm room in the ruined clothes, having the result of the attempt on full display.

It wasn't the first time she had made a spectacular failure of herself. From the time she was a child, she had routinely failed to cast any spell correctly. It didn't matter the element nor difficulty of the spell. Every single attempt resulted in a smoky explosion.

Louise was used to be looked down on for her lack of magical ability. Her family members—most of them—were disappointed in her. Her teachers—most of them—thought she was a lost cause. Her classmates—all of them—ridiculed her, rather silently or openly. Many people assumed that the reason Louise held her head high was because she was too proud to realize her mistakes.

While pride was a part of the reason, that was a shallow explanation. Louise kept her chin up because that was the only way she could cope. At least, she reasoned, if she pretended to be unbothered by everyone's painful words, they would hurt less.

So she endured every barb sent her way, standing as unmoved fortress. Only when she was alone did she allow the cracks to show; the façade to break.

"I'll show them," said Louise. Her eyes were watery and red, but no tears from her eyes. Even in the comfort of her room, she wouldn't waste tears on a few petty insults. Instead, she funneled her sadness into furious determination. "I'm not a failure. I'm not a Zero. They'll see."

* * *

Louise stood in a large ring with the rest of the second-year student of the Tristan Magic Academy. It was time from the Familiar Summoning Exam. The "exam" was incredibly simple, and there were no records of anyone in the six thousand years of its existence failing it.

Louise could only pray that she wouldn't be the first.

"Are you nervous, Little Louise?"

The girl in question turned and glared at the one who had made the insulting inquiry. "Of course not, Zerbst," she spat. "Are you insinuating that I have reason to be nervous about something as trivial as this?"

Kirche von Zerbst, a tall, tanned, buxom readhead, gave Louise a teasing smile. "Well, after seeing your explosive failure in Mrs. Chevreuse class yesterday, I couldn't help feel concerned for you," she said. "It would be embarrassing if you failed here as well, wouldn't it?"

Louise could tell that the mockery in Kirche's voice was as thick as the balloons on her chest. "I won't fail today," Louise vowed. "I'm going to summon the most powerful familiar Halkegenia has ever seen! It will upstage anything you can summon, you barbarian cow."

Kirche's single visible eye burned with the challenge. "We shall see, little Louise," she said smugly. She flounced her mane of wild red hair as she stalked the crowd and sauntered to her blue-haired midget companion.

As the other girl left, Louise bit her bottom lip. In truth, she was extremely worried. The Familiar Summoning Exam was more of a coming-of-age ceremony than a proper exam, but it was still required for continuing one's magical education. If she failed here, as she had with every attempted spell in her life, her chance to become a proper mage was gone. And since Tristan wasn't a barbaric country like Germania, if she was not a mage, she would lose her right to be a noble.

Louise's fate rested on this exam.

As Louise's peers stepped forward and summoned their familiars, Louise could see that most of the familiars were animals or fairly normal magical creatures. After most of her class had summoned their familiars, the most unusual of the bunch were a giant mole and a bugbear—which, despite its name, was actually a floating eyeball. Assuming she did pass the exam, the bar wasn't too high if she wanted to surpass her classmates.

The bar suddenly jumped when Kirche managed to summon a salamander as her familiar. To make matters worse, her friend, the diminutive Tabitha d'Orleans, summoned a Wind Dragon of all things. Short of summoning a manticore like her mother's, there was precious little Louise could summon to top that.

Finally, it was Louise's turn. The girl stepped forward and took a deep cleansing breath. She remembered the words spoken by her classmates. True to the tradition of the ritual, most students introduced themselves before saying something along the lines of "Pentagon of the five elements, heed my summoning, and bring forth my familiar."

However, Louise could feel that casting the spell that way would not work for her. Every time she had tried to cast a spell as she was instructed, it failed. To have a chance of success with this one, she would have to forge her own path Speaking straight from her heart, she began in a strong voice, "My familiar spirit that exists in the vast universe!"

Students exchanged glances of confusion. While it was not necessary to follow the usual words of the ritual, it was tradition because the words were tried and true. As Louise continued, her deviation stretched further.

"My divine, wise, beautiful, powerful familiar!"

Kirche smirked. "You're really going for it, aren't you, Louise?" Underneath her usual mocking tone was a trace of pride.

Louise could feel _something_ responding to her chant. Her willpower burned in a way she had never experienced before. With renewed vigor, she continued, "By the power of the five elements, appear my servant! Answer my summon!"

The explosion that echoed across the academy and sent a plume of smoky ash into the air arrived to no one's surprise.

The figure who stepped out of it, however, was completely unexpected.

The first that everyone noticed was the gold. Gold hair. Gold earrings. Gold armor from the neck down. The man wore full plate-mail, with a dark grey chainmail visible through the gaps in the plates. A scarlet skirt-like cape flowed from the lower part of his breastplate, covering his lower body except the front and outer sides of his legs. The earrings that hung from his earlobes were simple rings, but they were clearly made of solid gold. His hair was short and spiky, flowing up and around to the back of his head, creating the image of a blond flame on the end of a golden torch.

The gold-clad man looked over the courtyard. It was impossible to gauge what was going inside his mind. His bright red eyes were locked into a searching gaze, evaluating not just the environment, but every single person in it. Every student who met his eyes was force to shirk away. The man's eyes burned the sun, if the sun was a prowling lion.

Eventually, his eyes met Louise's. Seeing the wand in her hand, he smirked. "So, you are the mongrel who dared summoned me?"

Louise was terrified. It was clear that her summon had not only failed to summon a familiar, it had plucked an extremely rich noble. However, her fear did not prevent her from rising to the insult. "I am no mongrel!" she refuted angrily.

The young mage was prepared to lecture the man, richly adorned or not, that insulting another noble was not proper etiquette. However, before she could continue, a small golden portal opened up in the air by the man's shoulder. From it, a small bronze dagger was shot out. The weapon whizzed by Louise's face, cutting a few of her long pink hairs as it flew with dizzying speed. Louise stopped short, a trembling hand reaching up to her face. At first, it appeared that the dagger had missed her face by millimeters. But as Louise gingerly touched her face, a thin line of red began to form on a nigh-invisible gash in her cheek.

Colbert stepped between Louise and the man. A bead of sweat began to form on the professor's bald forehead, but he stood firm as he said, "You will not harm any of my students. Identify yourself!"

"Silence, cur," The gold-clad man ordered. He did not raise his volume one iota, but at the sound of his voice Colbert lost all will to fight. "I have already dirtied one of my treasures on this mongrel. Do not tempt me to stain one of my other treasures with your blood."

The armored blond smirked as Colbert shuffled back, pulling along Louise by the arm. The girl looked like she was in shock, as she kept one hand lightly on the place she had been cut. "Leave the girl," the summoned man ordered. "I have business with her."

Colbert looked like he was about to refuse, but with only a second's hesitation, he dropped Louise's arm and stood back. It was clear that whoever Louise had summoned was powerful. That golden circle did not match any spell Colbert was acquainted with. The dagger suggested earth magic, but Colbert doubted that to be the case. The other man had no wand in his hand, nor any other item that could serve as a substitute. Colbert would assume him to be an elf based on his magic if his perfectly human ears weren't on full display.

Professor Colbert was an experienced veteran, but he couldn't risk turning the Academy into a bloodbath. While it pained him, he would give in to the mans demands if it would avoid bloodshed. He stepped away, keeping his head bowed as he muttered a chant under his breath. He wouldn't be able to stop the summoned man by force, but he could send the Headmaster a signal that something went wrong.

Louise stood before the man she summoned, trembling, too scared to move or speak.

"Who are you, mongrel?" the summoned man asked.

The aura of authority emanating from the man was too much for the girl to handle. "L-Louise Fra-ancoise le Blanc de l-la Valli-liere," Louise stuttered.

"Use your tongue properly or I shall remove it."

Shakily taking a deep breath, Louise said in one breath, "My name is Louise Francoise le Blanc de la Valliere!" She kept her head held up, but did not dare meet the man's eyes. While she wanted to act with dignity, she didn't want to attract any more from her familiar—if she could even call him that.

"An extensive name for a lowly mongrel." Louise bit her tongue to keep from responding to that. "Tell me, do you know who I am?"

Louise's shoulders visibly slumped. Given the man's demeanor, she feared her answer would not please him. "I am afraid not, sir," she said weakly, her gaze falling lower as her confidence began to sink.

The man's golden boots clanked as he stepped towards her. "Do you know of the Holy Grail War?"

Confusion almost caused Louise to raise her head, but fear reminded her that meeting the man's eyes was likely to result in her death. "I am afraid I am not familiar with that war, sir," she answered honestly. "Does it have to do with—"

"I am asking the questions here."

"Yes, sir."

The man grinned, though Louise could not see it. "Such a curious magus you are. You have some bite, but you also know how to show your belly like the dog you are." He could see the tenseness in the girl's body as he spoke, and he enjoyed it. While his summoner could hold back her words, she couldn't control her body's involuntary responses. She wouldn't be his first pick to be a so-called-master—in fact, she'd be pretty low on the list—but she would be passable.

The man turned to the other students, who suddenly flinched and looked away. "Since this mongrel is ignorant of my True Name, I can assume the same can be said for the rest of you." It was worded like a question, but it was an undeniable statement. No student could guess who he was, and none were brave or foolish enough to make a guess. "Very well, I will give you the undisputed honor of my introduction."

The man smiled. It was not kind. It was not cruel. It was far beyond arrogance. This was a smile that demonstrated how high he stood above them. "I am Gilgamesh of Uruk, the King of Heroes!"

It was clear to everyone present that Gilgamesh did not have the disposition of a hero from the stories they were familiar with. To be called the _King_ of Heroes was a rather arbitrary and probably false claim.

It was equally clear that not even an idiot would say so aloud while within his earshot.

Gilgamesh frowned as he looked at the students. "It appears that you mongrels do not know how to act before a king," he said icily.

One by one, the students began to fall to their knees in quick succession. Some of them even fell involuntarily, as they had lost the will to force their knees to hold firm. Colbert, the last one standing, also dipped a knee and bowed to the king.

Gilgamesh looked at them contemplatively. "Slow, but I in my mercy will spare your lives. Your ignorance is of no fault of your own."

"Thank you, your majesty," said Colbert, speaking for everyone. The knuckles wrapped around his staff were white as he could feel the lives of himself and his students hang in the balance. "If it should please your majesty, might I make arrangements for you meet with the ruler of our country? The capital is only a few hours away, and we were not prepared to host such an esteemed individual such as yourself."

"I can see that, mongrel," Gilgamesh said with disgust. He paused a moment, looking thoughtful. "Very well, send word to your king about my arrival. For now…" His gaze turned to Louise, who was kneeling before him with her head bowed. "I will see to her."

Louise could not hide the flinch that came with that declaration. Colbert, noticing this, felt he had to do something to ensure his student's safety. "Miss Valliere is but a student here, your majesty," he said. "If there are any questions you may have, I'm sure that I or the Headmaster—"

"You dare question a king?"

The killing intent Gilgamesh radiated was powerful enough to shut Colbert's jaw with a solid click. For several seconds, everyone waited with bated breath to see what the golden king would do. Eventually, the pressure released. Gilgamesh turned, his cape billowing dramatically as he did so. "Come," he ordered.

Gilgamesh gave no indication of who he was speaking to, but Louise picked up on her cue. Without raising her head, she followed in Gilgamesh's footsteps, staying a respectable several feet behind him. Students practically fell on top of each other while trying to get out of the king's way as he passed through the courtyard.

The King of Heroes came to stop at an open part of the courtyard. "This will do," he declared.

With no hand movement or incantation, a large golden portal sprung into being. Gliding out of the portal was something Louise could identify as an airship, though it didn't resemble any of the models she was familiar with. Airships were normal shaped similarly to sea ships, as air and water travel necessitated a lot of similar features. The most significant distinction airships had was the windstone that allowed them defy gravity and sail through the skies.

Gilgamesh's airship was small and triangular. Easily twice the size of Gilgamesh at its thickest and tapering down the ship's long bow. The color scheme fit with Gilgamesh's aesthetic. The bulk of the airship was gold with blue accents. On the ship's sides, small folded sails were marked with black lines while green filled the gaps. Louise could see only a small hull to put a windstone, and the thin green wings on the side looked like they wouldn't provide enough steering. But when a series of steps popped out from the side of the ship, she followed after Gilgamesh without a word.

Louise could tell that the ship was small on the outside, but standing on top of it, she could truly see how impractically it was designed. The ship's deck, or bridge, was barely the size of a large table. An ornate throne of gold and red took up a sizable amount of space. Additionally, there was no railing anywhere. Assuming this airship could actually fly, Louise would be trapped in close proximity with someone who could kill her on a whim with the danger of falling overboard with the slightest amount of turbulence.

"Don't tell me you're scared of heights," Gilgamesh scoffed as he sat on his throne.

Louise gulped audibly. "I am not, your majesty. I was just, taken aback by your ship. I have never seen anything quite like it before."

"And you will never see any vehicle that equals it in your life," Gilgamesh said. Louise would be tempted to say he sounded proud, but as per usual, everything he said was pronounced as a fact. "Do avoid screaming," the man added.

Louise was about to ask why, and then her heart dropped into her stomach as the ship shot into the air. The ship's small wings snapped out along gold metal spokes, allowing Louise to recognize that they had a butterfly-esque aesthetic to them. With the airship in motion, Louise could recognize that the ship's odd design, while impractical from commercial use, gave it unparalleled speed. Additionally, despite the speed of their near-vertical ascent, Louise didn't feel sick or unsteady, just surprised by the view.

"Incredible," she said breathlessly.

"That it is," Gilgamesh agreed idly. The airship came to a stop high above the academy. From their vantage point, they could see all of the surrounding area. The pentagon-shaped walls of the academy. The stables and ranch right outside the academy. Count Mott's manor down the road. And of course, the capital city of Tristan. Even with the distance, Louise could still make out the towers of the royal castle.

Gilgasmesh rose from his throne to join Louise at the end of the ship's incredibly small bridge. "As I suspected, this world is not the garden I once owned."

Louise turned to Gilgamesh who had an almost saddened look on his face. "Is something wrong, your majesty?" she asked. It had been less then ten minutes since she had summoned Gilgamesh, but she felt like he wasn't a person to easily show his vulnerable side. Much like herself.

"Wrong would imply that I am not in complete control of the situation."

Louise winced, but Gilgamesh didn't look angry. Instead, it seemed that he had given the answer out of reflex, as his focus was stretched out over the view Tristan. Louise took a chance to follow his eyes, but she could see nothing except the endless horizon. "May I ask why you asked for me specifically?" she risked a question.

"You may," the king replied, not looking away from the view before him. "Tell me, magus, what do you know about Heroic Spirits?"

"I'm afraid I'm not sure what you mean, your majesty," Louise replied hesitantly. "I know of spirits, like the Water Spirit of Lake Lagdorian, but I know of no spirits that are called heroic."

"You truly know nothing." Louise could detect bitter amusement in the gold king's voice. "How amusing. Speak, girl. I can hear you shifting your feet. I have already acknowledged your ignorance and granted your permission to ask questions of me. Do not tempt me to return my favor."

Louise bit the inside of her cheek. Gilgamesh's words were infuriating, but she did not want to pick a fight with a self-proclaimed king with magic she had never seen before. And she was in his personal airship far, far away from anyone who could help her if she had an 'accident'. "Forgive my ignorance, your majesty, but I was wondering what a magus was?"

"What?" For once, Gilgamesh actually sounded surprised. "You mongrels call yourself something different?"

"Um, yes, your majesty," Louise replied. "We're mages."

For a moment Gilgamesh was silent. Louise could tell that his posture was too rigid for him to be at ease. Slowly, Gilgamesh turned around to face her. His eyes burned with intrigue, and something far more deadly. "For your own sake, you should speak truthfully, mongrel," he growled.

"I am," Louise assured him.

His eyes met hers, searching for truth. Captivated by his gaze, despite her fear, Louise found herself unable to pull away. Eventually, Gilgamesh nodded. "Then you do not practice magecraft." Once again, while worded like a question, he pronounced it as a fact.

"W-we do not, your majesty," Louise answered. She was still shaken, but knew Gilgamesh wanted answers promptly. "We practice magic, which the Founder granted us six thousand years ago."

"What an intriguing concept." Louise didn't know what to say to that, so she remained silent. After several long seconds, Gilgamesh spoke again. "Tell me, girl. If you are no magus, and you have no knowledge of the Holy Grail War or Heroic Spirits, how were you able to summon me?"

"I am not entirely sure, your majesty," Louise confessed, bowing low. "I was performing my Familiar Summoning Ceremony to summon a familiar spirit to serve me. I fear my spell went out of control as usual and pulled you from your lands by mistake. You have my most sincere apologies."

Louise didn't hear anything for several seconds, making her wonder if Gilgamesh was debating the best way to kill her. Then, to her surprise, she heard faint huffs of laughter. She kept her head down, but her face burned in shame as Gilgamesh's growing laughter filled the air. The laughter carried a mocking tone, but it sounded like he was more amused than angry. Still, she kept her head down, not wanting to risk shifting his mood in the opposite direction.

"So many magi dedicated their lives to reach the Root, and this child performs a Miracle without any knowledge of what she's doing. Calls it a mistake no less!" Gilgamesh cackled. "Girl, your summoning was crude and incomplete, but you have showed more promise than those useless magi. You have also provided me great amusement." He snapped his armored fingers. "I have decided. You will serve as my vassal."

Louise paled. She knew that her next words could easily offend Gilgamesh, but she felt compelled to say them anyway. "I am honored, your majesty," she said, carefully minding her words and tone. "But I am afraid that I have already dedicated my allegiance to the ruler of this land, Princess Henrietta."

At this, Gilgamesh's laughter abruptly stopped. Once again, Louise feared that her life was going to end then and there. However, while keeping her head bowed, she raised her gaze to meet Gilgamesh. Pink stared into red, fearful, but steadfast.

After a moment that lasted a far too long for Louise's liking, Gilgamesh nodded. "If you were a resident of my garden, I would be most displeased with you," he said casually, causing Louise to blanch. "However, seeing this is not my domain, I will forgive your impudence this time."

"You are too kind, your majesty." Louise finally allowed herself to breath. Her heart was pounding and her head throbbed. The intensity that Gilgamesh could produce far exceeded anything she had felt before. Louise had thought that her mother's presence could be overbearing, but when it came Gilgamesh's aura, it felt like an invisible hand squeezing her from all sides. Just who was this man?

"Indeed, I am far kinder than your kind deserve," Gilgamesh agreed. "Now, where can I find this Princess?"

"In the capital," Louise replied, pointing to it. "The castle is where the royal family resides."

"Then that is our destination," Gilgamesh declared. At once, the ship began to turn, pointing toward the capital city.

"B-but Mister Colbert's messengers haven't reached the palace yet!" Louise clamped a hand over her mouth as Gilgamesh's head slowly turned to her. "My apologies, your majesty. I spoke out of turn."

"That you did," Gilgamesh acknowledged. "Do not let it happen again. Now…" A vicious sneer spread across Gilgamesh's face. "Let me see what sort of figure inspires you enough to reject a king such as I!"


	2. The King Introduces Himself

The sensation of flying was not new to Louise. Her family estate hosted multiple griffons and manticores. As a child, Louise had ridden with her mother and older siblings on the back of the majestic steeds. As she had grown, and her lack of magic persisted, those rides had become fewer and further between, until they had ended entirely. It had never been overt, but Louise was never invited out by her mother, only encouraged to “practice her magic”.

All this was to say that flying should have given Louise a nostalgic sensation of better times. However, the ship she was flying in reminded her nothing of her family’s mounts. She was not seated on a beast of fur and feathers. She was standing in the smallest and slimmest airship she had ever seen. It was also the fastest and nimblest airship she’d witnessed. The wings of the airship shifted positions constantly as they zigzagged through the air.

The faint smile on Gligamesh’s face made Louise think that the king was showing off. If he was trying to impress her, it was working. She couldn’t see any obvious signs of him using magic to control the ship, but that’s what he must have been using, because there were no physical controls to be seen.

The airship reached the capital far quicker than Louise had expected. As they approached the city walls, Gilgamesh rose from his seat and began walking forward. To Louise’s surprise, the king stepped past the ship’s small area of safety and walked onto the tapered bow. The ship’s movements steadied and slowed as they approached the city, but that position still looked extremely unsafe. The king didn’t seem to care, as his gaze was focused on a falcon that was soaring to the royal castle.

“Come, Louise,” said Gilgamesh.

“Is it safe?” Louise asked nervously.

“You won’t fall. I will not allow it.”

While worded like an assurance, Louise found Gilgamesh’s tone to be mocking. Still, she didn’t want to get on the blond king’s bad side. Louise slowly walked across the bow, keeping her arms out for balance. Surprisingly, some kind of magic kept the worst of the winds away the wind. Her clothes didn’t billow, and she wasn’t almost swept off the ship. Instead, only a light breeze passed through, making the end of her cloak flap gently in its wake. As Louise reached Gilgamesh’s side, she let out a gasp. “Wow.”

Louise had visited the capital many times before, but this was the first time she had gotten a view like this. She could see the entire city clearly. People traveled down roads like ants in the dirt. The slums were as filthy as ever. The commoner areas were rundown. The nobles district was where the city began to show its brilliance. And there, in the highest part of the city, the castle towered over the city. The majestic building served as symbol of pride for not just the city, but the entire country of Tristan.

The airship slowed further as they approached the castle. Louise spotted a squad of Griffon Knights flying out to meet them. “Your majesty, members of the guard are coming out to meet us,” she informed Gilgamesh. “I don’t think they appreciate visitors dropping in unannounced.”

“We shall see,” Gilgamesh responded. Louise didn’t know what gave Gilgamesh the confidence he manifested, but she could only pray to the Founder that the king wouldn’t react violently.

The leader of the Griffon Knights flew towards the airship, while the other knights surrounding it from other angles in the sky. That way, if the ship tried to flee, it would be hard pressed to go anywhere except the ground.

Louise gave a gasp when she saw the face of the one who approached them. “Count Wardes?” she exclaimed in surprise.

It had been years she had seen him, but the count’s face was still recognizable from the moment they had first met on the Valliere estate. Wardes’s face was no longer clean shaven as she remembered, but instead he had facial hair running around the sides of his face, chin, and upper lip. This new look combined with his naturally grey hair made Wardes appear older than he actually was.

Wardes looked to Louise briefly and gave her a small smile. Then he turned to Gilgamesh and said in a professional tone, “I assume you are King Gilgamesh of Uruk?”

Louise was surprised that Wardes knew who Gilgamesh was. After all, they had left before Colbert could have time to send a messenger, and they had flown far faster than any horse could. But the king at her side acted like this was an expected development.

“You assume correctly,” Gilgamesh replied. “And who are you?”

“I am Viscount Jean-Jacques Francis de Wardes, Captain of the Griffon Knights,” Wardes introduced himself. “May I request that your majesty land your vehicle? My fiancé looks unsteady on her feet.”

A smile spread across Gilgamesh’s face as his gaze shifted to Louise. “So my summoner is the fiancé of a Viscount,” he said with intrigue. “Very well. Louise, you may go back to your place.”

Louise gave a polite curtsey before retreating as fast as courteously possible to the widest part of the ship. Gilgamesh’s red eyes shifted back to Wardes, gazing into the other man’s blue-grey eyes. After a moment, the king nodded. “You are a man of ambition,” he said. “I am curious to see where you go in life.”

Wardes stiffened. It was subtle, far too subtle for the average person to notice. But Gilgamesh was far from average. “I humbly serve the throne of Tristan,” Wardes stated. “My station is testament to the generosity of the late king, Henri de Tristan.”

Gilgamesh’s eyes narrowed. “So that is the game you wish to play.”

Wardes unconsciously lowered his hand to the hilt of his sword. The eyes of the two men met in a contest of wills. After a second, though it felt like an eternity, Wardes conceded with a respectful nod, letting his hand drop to his side. Regardless of what the foreign king said, the viscount couldn’t risk his position by challenging the man in such a brazen manner.

Additionally, Wardes had a feeling that if he had drawn his sword, his body wouldn’t have reached the ground alive.

Louise’s eyes followed Gilgamesh as he made his way back to throne. Once he was seated, the ship began to slowly descend. Louise glanced back at Wardes, who was flying a distance away, before returning her gaze to the seated king. “What were you and Viscount Wardes speaking about, your majesty?” she asked.

“If you wished to know you should have stayed and listened,” Gilgamesh responded.

“But you told me to go back—”

“Do not put words into my mouth,” he reproached her. “You wished to return to the bridge of the ship. I granted you permission. You were perfectly capable of remaining by my side if you wished to hear the conclusion of our discussion.”

Anger bubbled up in Louise, evident as the lower part of her face started to match the vibrant color of her hair. “I thought that was an order,” she said with strained politeness.

“You should have asked,” Gilgamesh said. There was a gentle thud as the ship landed on the ground. “We will resume our conversation later. Follow me.”

Louise forced herself to regain her composure as Gilgamesh strode off the airship. Some of the Griffon Knights had flown away, but the majority had landed on the ground with Captain Wardes. The knights surrounded the king and noble girl as Wardes escorted them into the castle.

“We recently received word that you had been mistakenly summoned to the academy during the Familiar Summoning Ceremony, but we had not been informed of your intentions to visit the capital,” Wardes explained as they walked.

“So you have nothing prepared?” Gilgamesh asked.

“The message arrived scarcely seconds before your ship reached the capital. It is by the Founder’s grace that we received the correspondence before your arrival, otherwise we would have had the castle in a panic,” Wardes offered in explanation. Louise was surprised by the narrow margin, but Gilgamesh appeared bored, like he had already known this information. “I’m afraid that on such short notice, we have not had time to properly prepare for your arrival.”

Louise looked at Gilgamesh, an I-told-you-so expression clear on her face.

If Gilgamesh noticed, he didn’t make any indication of it. “I am eager to see the princess who had captured the loyalty of my summoner,” he said.

“The princess has other duties to attend to, but I can request a meeting as early as tomorrow,” Wardes offered.

Louise thought that Gilgamesh would refuse and demand to see the princess immediately, but instead he nodded. “I don’t like to be kept waiting, but there are other ways to entertain myself until then.”

Wardes looked to Louise, who shied away with a blush. “Your majesty, I would ask that you leave my fiancé out of your entertainment,” he told Gilgamesh in a warning tone.

The gold-clad king came to a stop, with the escort following in suit. In a clear and cold voice, Gilgamesh asked Wardes, “Is that any way to speak to a king?”

“I apologies if I sound rude, your majesty, but would I not be failing my duty as a fiancé if I was to leave her with another man?” Wardes asked.

Gilgamesh’s lips curled into a smirk, but his eyes remain cold. “So, you would risk my ire to defend your fiancé’s honor?”

“Yes,” Wardes said resolutely.

The hall was silent, with every spectator holding their breath. Servants had already pulled out of the halls, on account that the message had warned that the king had a vicious temper and had unknown magic that could summon weapons on a whim. The Griffon Knights were ready to draw their swords. King or not, Gilgamesh wouldn’t start a fight in their palace unchallenged.

The silence was broken by the sound of Louise clearing her throat. “I thank you for your concern, Viscount Wardes,” she said tactfully. “But I do not believe that King Gilgamesh has those sorts of intentions with me.”

Wardes quickly glanced at Gilgamesh for confirmation, but the Viscount could ascertain nothing from the other man’s ruby eyes. He turned back to Louise and accepted her words with a nod. “You have grown into a bright young woman,” Wardes complimented Louise. He turned to face Gilgamesh and bowed. “I apologize for my rude words, your majesty.”

Before responding, Gilgamesh’s gaze turned to Louise, who was doing her best to plead with her eyes for him to not attack her fiancé. “Very well,” Gilgamesh finally replied. “It would ruin my mood to dwell on the matter further.

It was hard to tell if Gilgamesh took the apology seriously with his aloof attitude, but Louise content with no blood being shed. While she wasn’t sure who would win in a fight between the powerful king and the Griffon Knights, she had no intentions of finding out. She had no wishes to let her countrymen die—especially her fiancé—and if Gilgamesh died, then Louise would have the consequences of a dead, kidnapped king on her head.

The tour continued, thankfully without further incident. Gilgamesh was shown to a few areas in the palace that were open to guests and visitors, such as a large common area, the guard’s training grounds, and the gardens. The tour ended at a bedroom that had been freshly furnished for him. The room was large and ornate, with all of the amenities a noble would expect to find and more. The posts of the bed were lined with gold, with the drapes being made of the finest silk. Every piece of furniture was carved and inlaid with the highest caliber of craftsmanship.

“This will suffice,” Gilgamesh said. Unlike Louise, who gaped at the luxury, he looked around with a bored expression on his face. “But I have no need to retire. Tell me, does this castle have a library?”

“There is in indeed,” Wardes replied. “Sergeants Cain de Rouge and Abel de Verde will guide you there. They will also serve as your escorts during your stay until a more permanent arrangement is determined.”

“Oh?” Gilgamesh said curiously as his gaze fell upon the two named men. Both were dressed in the traditional armor of the griffon knights. Cain was slightly taller, had vibrant fiery hair, and wore an extremely serious expression on his face. Abel had a rounder and more youthful face, and his hair was deep forest green.

The king’s eyes bore into theirs for an uncomfortably long moment before he nodded. “That is acceptable,” the king said finally.

Louise let out a soft sigh of relief. Gilgamesh had been giving the two men a look that she could only describe as “searching”. She had been worried that Gilgamesh was going to threaten them, but aside from the instance of Wardes’s faux pas, the king was acting much less aggressive than he had been at the academy.

With an exchange of salutes, Wardes took the bulk of the Griffon Knights away with him, leaving the two knights. The taller of which was the first to speak. “As Captain Wardes said, I am Sergeant Cain de Rogue of the Griffon Knights, your majesty,” he said with a polite bow.

“And I am Sergeant Able de Verde. It is pleasure to meet you, your majesty, and young miss,” the second knight greeted them, bowing to Gilgamesh and then dipping his head also to Louise.

Gilgamesh nodded. “I see there is some competency in the military. Your magic is not worth mentioning, but you are more than the common mongrels scuttling about.” The offhand comment confused the two knights, who weren’t sure whether or not they should be offended by the backhanded compliment. Gilgamesh, as per usual, didn’t pay their reaction any mind. “Proceed. I wish to see if your library is worthy of my presence.”

“I believe it will please you, your majesty,” said Abel. “Tristan is famous for its well-learned mages, and we boast the largest and most prominent collection of books.”

“We shall see.” The words were ominous enough to enforce a silence until they reached the library.

The knight’s words were not an empty boast. As the doors to the castle’s library were pushed open for Gilgamesh, he could see that the large, vaulted-ceiling room was filled with shelves upon shelves filled with books. However, that was not enough to impress him. “It is sizable, but a library is only as good as its contents,” he said aloud.

Louise watched as Gilgamesh scanned the labels of the shelves and began to navigate through the library. “Can you read our language, your majesty?” Louise asked.

“Are you insinuating that I am illiterate?”

“N-not at all, your majesty!” Louise hastily assured him. “I merely was unaware if your written language was the same ours despite the distance of your country.”

“All of the languages of mankind are known to me,” Gilgamesh replied without turning around as he scanned the shelves. “Your land is not my own, but your language is one I am familiar with. It is a curious phenomenon.”

Louise, Cain, and Abel watched in silence as Gilgamesh proceeded to pull books off the shelves and offload the books onto them without a word. The two knights took the burden from Louise, who in turn stacked the books into the knights’ arms while both of their hands were occupied. “Are you planning out your next few days of reading, your majesty?” Abel asked.

“Hardly,” Gilgamesh replied. “This will suffice for today, assuming any of it is worthy of my time.”

Louise glanced at the titles of the books as she stacked them into the knights’ arms. _A History of Halkegenia, 8 th edition, A Young Mage’s Guide to Magic_, _The Tristan_ _Magical Creature Index_ , _A Study of the Founder’s Will_ , and _The Legends of the Mystical Rhyme Dragons_. The books covered a diverse a range of topics, most of which a foreigner would be expected to be curious about, but there were a few questionable exceptions to the bunch.

No one was willing to inform Gilgamesh that some of the books he pulled out were aimed at a significantly younger audience.

Once Gilgamesh had pulled his fill of books from the shelves—enough to reach the chins of both knights—he led his three escorts to a table. “Leave the books here,” he ordered the two knights. “I would like to spend this time with my summoner.”

Cain and Abel nodded. The two moved to stand by the library’s door, still within sight of Gilgamesh and Louise. While their primary objective was to escort Gilgamesh, Warders had also requested that they keep an eye on Louise’s safety as well. While the knights’ primary loyalty was to their duty, they also kept their commander’s request in mind.

When Gilgamesh had sent the two knights away, Louise had expected that he would take the time to speak to her in confidence. Her expectations withered as one hour, then a second passed by without a word from Gilgamesh. The only sounds out of his mouth was the occasional hum or clucking of his tongue.

What surprised Louise even more was the speed at which Gilgamesh was going through the books. While she knew some people would go through books by scanning the table of contents before deciding if they wanted to read more, Gilgamesh went beyond that. Every book was opened to the table of contents, and then he would flip through the different sections and browse the pages in an almost arbitrary fashion. Louise would call his actions haphazard, but his ruby colored eyes were completely focused as he did so. How he was absorbing the information in the book so quickly, it was beyond her ability to know.

After two hours of near-silent reading, Gilgamesh closed the cover of the last book, his lips pursed in a scowl. “This is the best your country has to offer?” he said in disgust.

Louise almost jumped at the sudden words but managed to keep her wits about her. “Was there something in particular you were searching for, your majesty?” she asked.

“I was searching for entertainment,” said Gilgamesh. He propped up his chin with a closed fist and leaned back in his seat. “In a world so similar yet so different from my own, I had hopes that your books would tell of something worthy of being gazed upon by my eyes.”

“Nothing in those books interested you?” Louise asked in surprise.

“The books tell me of sights I have not seen, but they have yet to convince me that it would be worth my while,” Gilgamesh responded. “Honestly, it seems that this world is only a pale comparison to my own garden.”

The insult stung, but Louise supposed that books couldn’t truly show the wonders of Halkegenia. So, she decided to take a different approach. “If I may ask, what is your garden—kingdom, like?”

“Oh?” Gilgamesh’s gaze focused on Louise, his eyes dancing with curiosity. “And why do you want to know?”

Because she was bored and it was awkward listening to him complain all the time, not that she would say so out loud. “Your majesty is always speaking fondly of his homeland,” Louise began. “I would like to know more about it, if you wish to tell me, that is.”

A smile spread across Gilgamesh’s face. Louise felt herself relax as she saw amusement in the king’s expression. “I will tell you of the wonders of Babylonia in due time,” he said. “For now, there is something more pertinent I must address.”

“I am at your command, your majesty.”

Without warning, Gilgamesh’s armor flew off in gold flecks. A storm of golden glitter swirled around his form and coalesced into an outfit that wouldn’t look out of place at a noble function: a white button-down shirt, a pair of black pants, with a black cloak draped across his back.

“Did your majesty use transmutation to alter his attire?” Louise asked in surprise. Transmutation was easy to use on dirt or stone, but was harder to apply on metals and the like. Gold, Louise knew from her Earth Magic classes, was difficult enough to require square class magic to transmute. Changing gold armor into cloth was a feat Louise had never heard of.

“Louise, the first thing you must do in my presence is rid yourself of your ignorant, preconceived notions,” Gilgamesh ordered. “I have tolerated it long enough, but even my abundant patience grows weary of repeatedly hearing foolishness coming from the mouth of someone with as much potential as yourself.”

Louise mentally ran over that extensively confusing sentence. Hidden behind the spiteful words, she caught a remark of genuine praise. However…

“I am unworthy of such praise.”

Unfortunately, that seemed to be the wrong response, as Gilgamesh’s face hardened. “Do you think a king gives out those words idly?” he asked Louise.

“No, your majesty.”

“Then you wish to spit on my generosity?”

“Not all, your majesty! I am…” Louise hesitated for a moment, but after glancing into Gilgamesh’s piercing ruby eyes, she continued, “I am known by my peers as Louise the Zero. My spells always result in explosions, and the only spell that hasn’t completely failed summoned you instead of a familiar. I apologize, your majesty, but your words are wasted on someone like me. I am a failure of a mage, and completely unworthy of your majesty’s time and expectations.”

Louise bowed her head at the end of her speech, waiting for the ridicule to begin. She had rejected his honoring words and admitted to her fundamental weakness. While she no longer feared that he would kill her, she had no doubt that he would reject her presence. However, after several seconds had passed and she heard nothing, she risked a glance up at Gilgamesh’s face. The king looked… contemplative.

“You truly believe you have no worth.”

The way he said it made the words sting even more. “I apologize, your majesty.”

“I have no need for empty words,” Gilgamesh stated. “I have tolerated far too many of them today. You, Louise, my summoner, are ignorant and weak. You have accepted your shortcomings without daring to improve, leaving you as only a fraction of what you could be. And yet, despite being only a withered bud, you are the flower that has caught my eye in this entire garden.”

“I’m sorry…?” Louise responded uncertainly.

Gilgamesh gave her a look of pity and mockery; it was hard to tell which was the stronger trait. “You are very fortunate that your potential outweighs your disappointment thus far. Since you are lacking in understanding, I will make this clear for you.” He leaned forward in his chair. “Do you wish to be known as Louise the Zero, a reject among rejects? Or, do you wish to rise to your rightful place ruling over these mongrels?”

With those two options, the answer was obvious.

“The princess Henrietta is the rightful ruler,” Louise said firmly. “I have no desire to usurp her authority, and I would appreciate if you did not insinuate such!” After a moment of horror to realize who she had just yelled at, she added a weak, “I mean no offense, your majesty.”

Gilgamesh chuckled, surprising Louise yet again. She still couldn’t understand his frequent mood swings.

“You have bite, but not when it comes to yourself,” Gilgamesh remarked. “Very well, I suppose that is the best I can hope for in a world of such lack.” He stood up from his seat and turned with a flourish of his cloak. “Follow me.”

Confusion did not slow Louise as she immediately rose from her chair and followed after Gilgamesh, who was walking between a row of shelves that was thickly packed with books. A golden portal suddenly opened in front of him and, without breaking his stride, he walked through it, disappearing from sight. Louise instinctively ground her feet into the floor, paused, and considered her options. She could follow Gilgamesh through the strange glowing circle, or she could wait for him to come back, probably angry that she didn’t obey his command to “follow him”.

In the end, it wasn’t much of a choice.

Louise held her breath and stepped through the glowing circle. Her skin could feel the change of atmosphere. She hesitantly opened her eyes, and then they widened in shock as she gazed upon all the riches that surrounded her. Artefacts, weapons, jewelry, coins, all were on display in a manner that was both chaotic and awe-inspiring.

“How is this possible?” Louise asked as she gazed around in wonder. “Is this a part of the library? No, I’ve never heard of such a place existing in the castle.” Her eyes trailed on Gilgamesh, who striding through the room of treasures like he owned the place. Which, she quickly realized, he probably did. There was no magic that she knew off that allowed people to travel from one place to another in the blink of an eye, but it would explain how he was able to summon objects on a whim. Rather than transmutation, he used this strange magic to link places. It was unfathomable, but it was the only assumption she could make.

Louise continued to follow Gilgamesh as they strolled through the treasure trove, stopping only when Gilgamesh took a seat a long, comfy-looking, red silk cushion. “Have a seat,” said Gilgamesh, as he indicated a slightly less ornate, but just as expensive looking, couch opposed to him. “There is a lot to discuss, so do avoid asking unnecessary questions.”

Remembering their earlier conversation, Louise carefully asked, “May I ask questions I believe to be necessary?”

Gilgamesh smiled as he leaned back into his cushion. “I see you are learning. Yes, Louise, you may ask any question you believe to be worthy of my time.” He stretched out his hand and another gold circle appeared. He pulled out a gold pitcher from it. A second circle dropped an empty golden goblet into his other hand. “Drink?”

Louise wasn’t supposed to drink at her age, but she also knew it was rude to turn down an offered drink when she was a guest. Doubly so when the offer came from royalty. “Yes, thank you.”

Gilgamesh rather than get up and pass the container to Louise, Gilgamesh summoned another portal and dropped the pitcher through it. Louise, having deduced the transportation method, was ready to catch it when a circle appeared in her lap, and a second appeared on her side to deliver another goblet. Once again, the item she was offered looked different from Gilgamesh’s, but appeared just as expensive. The goblet was solid gold, but had a different design engraved on its rim compared to the king’s cup.

Louise, remembering the wine etiquette she had observed at her parent’s social functions, filled the cup only halfway. A golden opened in front of her when she was finished pouring, so she gingerly lowered the pitcher into the floating circle. Then she raised her cup to her lips and took a sip, all while Gilgamesh looked on in open amusement. The wine wasn’t sharp like she expected. In fact, it was fruity and sweet, with only the sharp buzz to remind her that it was an alcoholic beverage.

Gilgamesh let out a content sigh as he put his cup to the side. “Normally, I wouldn’t go through the trouble of explaining all this to the one who summoned me,” Gilgamesh began. “After all, any magi who fails to recognize me is merely a mongrel unworthy to gaze upon my visage. However, you clearly have no foundation, and if left to your own devices your progress will be minimal at best, negative at worst. Therefore, I will grace you with a basic understanding of our current situation and relationship.”

“Relationship?” Louise echoed instinctively. Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow. “My apologies, your majesty, but I assumed you were not interested in me.”

“You are the only person who interests me in this odd world,” Gilgamesh informed her. “However, you pale in comparison to my ideal woman.” Louise was perfectly fine with falling short of his standards in that area. “I was referring to your status as my summoner.”

That bode ill for Louise’s life expectancy. “Does your majesty request compensation for being summoned away from his homeland?” she guessed. “I have no assets of my own, and the wealth of my family is clearly nothing compared to yours.”

“That’s least foolish statement you’ve made during this entire conversation,” Gilgamesh noted. “No, Louise, I require nothing of monetary value from you. Rather, something more personal. And before you ask,” he added, noticing her open her mouth, “no, I will not claim your undying loyalty. At least, not at this time.”

Louise wracked her brain for anything else Gilgmesh could want from her. He didn’t want her affections or loyalty, and she had nothing physical she could offer him either. After a few seconds of deep thought, she confessed, “I’m not sure what I could offer you, your majesty, that you do not have already.”

“Your mana. Or as you ‘mages’ call it, your Willpower.”

Louise blinked. “I beg your pardon?” she said in confusion. “My magic doesn’t work properly—”

“Mana, not magic. Regardless, your magic is perfectly intact,” Gilgamesh interrupted. “In fact, it is far superior to that of the mongrels I’ve seen so far—what few remain, not cowering behind closed doors. Regardless, it is rightfully mine, as is custom for a summoning such as the one you performed.”

“You mean my summoning, isn’t new?” Louise asked.

“That is what I said. Do avoid pointless questions.”

“But I’ve never heard of such a thing!”

“Of course not,” Gilgamesh scoffed. “Your books are filled enough mindless dribble to make any proper magus shed tears of blood.”

“The books are based on the works of the Founder, the greatest mage in Halkegenian history!”

“Yes, yes, I see you magi refer to Brimir as a god among men,” Gilgamesh said with a lazy swirl of his hand. “It was painful to read, insulting even. If he was a citizen of Babylonia, he’d be fine court mage, yes, but divinity? That joke is so distasteful I can’t even laugh.”

Gilgamesh took a long draught of his wine and let out an _ah_ of satisfaction. “I suppose that when mongrels roam about without direction, that is the highest feat they can aspire to. But let us not waste time with the dead.” He put his cup aside and looked Louise in the eye. “Make yourself comfortable, Louise, for I will only say this once. Do not interrupt, especially with any more of that idiotic founder drivel. Understood?”

Louise, while insulted on behalf of the Founder, nodded. Gilgamesh clearly knew things she did not, which meant despite his arrogance, this could be the greatest learning opportunity she could have in her life.

“Beyond the concept of space and time exists a place where legends are personified. It is known as the Throne of Heroes…”

* * *

Louise’s eyes were vacant as she stepped through the portal. She had been given too much information to properly process. Throne of Heroes. Heroic Spirits. Servants. Masters. Holy Grails. Other Worlds. It was so crazy that if someone else had told her such a tale, she would have called them a terrible liar. But she couldn’t think that of Gilgamesh. His opinion was colored, for certain, but he spoke the truth as he saw it. His presence and magic already served as proof that what Louise had learned throughout her entire life wasn’t all that existed in the realm of possibilities.

To think that she, Louise de la Valliere, Louise the Zero, had summoned a king from a bygone age of another world. The title of Servant was a grievous misnomer for such summons. Louise couldn’t fathom trying to enforce her will on any person from legends, even if she had acquired Command Seals.

Louise blinked as she realized that they were not dropped off in the library, but rather Gilgamesh’s bedroom. “How did we get here?” she asked.

“My Gates of Babylon take me wherever I please,” Gilgamesh replied, as if that explained everything. “Run along now and go inform our escorts of our return.”

Louise moved to the door, but before she opened it, she turned back and asked, “Your majesty, earlier you said that Servants are summoned as one of seven classes, yes?”

“That is correct.”

“So… which class did I summon you as?”

Gilgamesh smirked. “Which one, I wonder? You surely don’t expect me to do all the work for you, do you, Louise?”

“No, your majesty,” Louise replied with disappointment. But that certainly would have helped her understand more about him.

“Good,” Gilgamesh said. “If you wish to be a proper Master instead of a mere summoner, do try to impress me in the next few days. If you succeed, I will acknowledge you and grant you the power you will deserve. Fail, and you will remain as you are, nothing.”

Louise stifled bowed before exiting the room. The challenge was set, and she had every intention to not only achieve, but surpass Gilgamesh’s expectations.

Gilgamesh watched her go with a smirk on his lips. “Will you rise to be the greatest mage in Halkegenia, or will you fall under the weight of the world?” he wondered aloud. “Either way, Louise de la Valliere, you will provide entertainment worthy of a king.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate Gilgamesh.
> 
> He's a well designed, very complex character. But his ego is the size of a moon. I see why people normally use Caster or Kid Gil. But I decided to make my life difficult to show what happens when someone who fits terribly into the canon plot gets thrown into the story. Gilgamesh takes every attempt I make to repair the timeline and says, "Who cares? I'm going to do my own thing." I want to reach through my screen and strangle him.
> 
> Oh, and before I forget. I do have a Ko-Fi under the name "RainEStar". People who donate get in on the poll for my next one shot.
> 
> Hopefully this story is as enjoyable to you as Gilgamesh is frustrating to me. Remember, comments are food for a writer's soul!

**Author's Note:**

> Gilgamesh is the most difficult character I've ever tried to write. He's got multiple variations, and the complications of his character are difficult to navigate. I don't think this chapter to shows Gil's full character, so stick around for chapter 2 so I can have a chance to show his... less antagonistic side.
> 
> I appreciate feedback! Remember, comments are food for a writer's soul!


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